'“All thoughts were wondering how strong he would be, how ready he could be,” Rochester coach Randy Cunneyworth told Gannett News Service. “I wasn’t expecting him to perform at this level because of the injury but he looks like a guy who’s really battling for a spot.”'

'The rookie was the Ontario Hockey League's Goaltender of the Year last season and appeared to figure prominently in the future for the Buffalo Sabres organization. But an injury to his left knee during the OHL finals left him somewhat in limbo for the upcoming season.'

‘Co-captain Daniel Briere was held out of practice once again today as he still nursing a hip flexor. Briere has been out since suffering the injury a week ago. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was confident on Briere getting back up to speed soon. “It seems to be a lot better today,” Ruff said, “we wanna make sure though before we stick him in a full practice that he’s a hundred percent.”‘

'Then, without warning, it was all taken away from McKee. In the second round against Ottawa, McKee had taken a shot off the inside of the left leg — just above the ankle — leaving a quarter-inch cut. The cut was thoroughly cleaned but not stitched, McKee said. And after Game 6 against the Hurricanes, a staph infection began to double the size of the leg. "I woke up at 5 a.m. the next morning and by 7 I couldn't walk," McKee said. "It was really indescribable to sit there, knowing your team is one game from the Stanley Cup Finals."'

'Once viewed as offering little more than a blistering one-timer, Kotalik will be asked to kill penalties and, in the waning seconds of a game, desperate opponents. "We may use him some on penalty killing, but with the absence of Mike Grier his important ice time should go up," Ruff said. "We would like to see him, with increased ice time, become a more dangerous goal scorer."'

'Crosby had two assists to help Pittsburgh (1-1-2) take a 2-0 lead in the first period. Niks Ekman opened the scoring midway through the period and Kristopher Letang adding a power-play goal with 30 seconds left.'